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South African Youth Tortured and Killed in “Gay Conversion Camp” More Activist Propaganda

South African Native, André Bekker, Exposes Gay Activist Speculation that Death Was Motivated by Sexual Orientation

April 30, 2013 – Johannesburg, South Africa. On April 29, 2013 GayStarNews reported the headline: “Gay teens starved, tortured, killed at camp to turn them into ‘men.’”

From the bottom of my heart, and in the strongest terms possible, I join with Voice of the Voiceless to condemn this inhumane, brutal, and criminal act. I mourn with Raymond Buys’ family and pray that justice is served.

Unfortunately, some “journalists” may be using this tragedy to further certain political ends in South Africa, which is both outrageous and disrespectful to this young man and his family. What is particularly of interest in the GayStarNews story is that the headline includes the words “Gay teens.” Nowhere is it stated how the reporter knows that they are gay, and in none of the major newspapers in South Africa, nor on the News broadcasts, is there any mention made that these teenagers were gay or that their deaths are related to their sexual orientation.

For example, News24 reported: “Court hears of teen’s terrible torture.” The heading in the Daily Telegraph reads: “Teen dies after being ‘beaten’ at camp that ‘makes men out of boys’.” According to Raymond Buys’ mother, her intentions of sending her son to this camp were “to make him a better man, to give him a better future,” not change his sexual orientation from gay to straight. The Daily Telegraph also stated that Raymand Buys had “learning difficulties,” and The Daily Maverick reported the same fact in their September 2011 press release, where it stated that Buys had been:

“Cast away due to his rebellious nature, by his mother and her boyfriend. They dropped him off at the gate of the Leader [De Koker]… They were willing to pay thousands of rand just to be rid of him. The group known as X-Military Leaders (7,000 members) took him in and cared for him. The young man’s behavioural deviations were noticed immediately.” Exactly what these “behavioral deviations” were (other than a physical inability to carry out certain tasks) is unclear. Buys was believed to have had some sort of learning disability, as, reportedly, did Calitz and Van der Walt, two other young men who previously suffered similar torture, and eventually died as a result.

But activist Melanie Nathan has suggested that the other aspect held in common by the three young men was that they were all perceived as “gay and clearly effeminate.” Gaystarnews also reported “When Calitz requested to leave, De Koker reportedly told him he ‘wasn’t a moffie [gay] and he would make a man out of him’.” It is not stated, but seems to be a quote from Nathan: “What is so shocking is that the murder of Buys is not the first, as Echo Wild Game Rangers has seen the deaths of 2 young teens, also perceived as gay and clearly effeminate, when in 2007, 18-year-old Eric Calitz and Nicolaas van der Walt, 19 both died in similar circumstances. de Koker was handed a suspended sentence in 2009 over Calitz’s death but escaped charges for van der Walt’s death, which was ruled to have been caused by a heart attack. It was reported that de Koker told Calitz that he wasn’t a “moffie” (like saying “fag”) and he “would make a man out of him.”

Interestingly, that remark is made to suggest that Calitz’s death was as a result of the report “de Koker told Calitz that he wasn’t a “moffie” (like saying “fag”) and he “would make a man out of him.” It is worth mentioning that this was never brought up as the motive for this crime in the 2007 trial. Of more importance is the fact that amongst the Afrikaners, to say someone is not a “moffie” is a saying, “you are not a sissy.” In this context it has no reference to a person’s sexual orientation.

For example, a boy would for instance dare his friend to do something risky, and if the friend would not have the courage to take up the challenge, his friend will then say; “come on man do it, you are not a moffie.” What De Koker then said to Calitz is that he is not a sissy, he will make a man out of him,” with no reference to his sexual orientation. This clearly means, “making men out of boys,” not changing gays into straights.

What is troubling is that Melani Nathan “suggested” that “they were all perceived as ‘gay and clearly effeminate’” Gaystarnews quotes her as saying the same and goes one step further with her quotation by suggesting this was a “gay conversion camp” and “with a little bit of digging [into the story], the gay reparative undertones start to emerge.” Just what those “gay reparative undertones” are, is not clear. Although activist Nathan does not mention “gay conversion camps,” there has never ever any mention made in any of the court hearings or news reports of any “gay conversion camp.” This is entirely the Gaystarnews reporter’s own invention.

When we look at Melanie Nathan’s blog entry she unfortunately does not mention what “digging” she did and what “gay reparative undertones start to emerge.” Whatever she discovered is nowhere else reported in the mainstream media. She also made no mention of how she came to know that the “three young men were all perceived as ‘gay and clearly effeminate.’” Currently, there is no evidence to suggest that the crimes committed were done so with the motive that these teens were gay.

In the light of these facts, it seems that these reports in the gay media are nothing but propaganda, based on half-truths and pure speculation. Raymand Buys does not deserve to be dishonored by such exploitation. He was was tortured at the hands of brutal criminals, and now continues to be abused at the hands of activists trying to score cheap political points for their own selfish objectives.

Andre Bekker is a Theological Counselor in South Africa and Guest Contributor to Voice of the Voiceless. Note: portions of this story were edited by Christopher Doyle.